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Key retainer?

Can anyone tell me why Ford installed that mechanism (button) that you have to push up on to remove keys from the ignition of a Fox Body car?  I can't think of any benefits to having that on these cars.
William

Key retainer?

Reply #1 –
It's for floor shift cars only. The theory was that it would make the driver take the key out of the ignition so nobody could accidentally put the car in gear with the floor shifter. Which, of course, can happen anyway. These were the days long before any kind of brake-shift interlock...Ford did what they thought was enough.

Key retainer?

Reply #2 –
I'm a little confused here Eric.  Why would that mechanism make you want to take the keys out of the ignition?  It just adds another step to the process of taking the keys out.
William

Key retainer?

Reply #3 –
It was also to keep the steering wheel from being locked ...so in theory IF the car was moved out of gear while not running it could still be steered
Fox-less at the moment

Key retainer?

Reply #4 –
^ That's it.

If for some reason you have to cut your engine off going down the road i.e. throttle sticks then it prevents your steering wheel from locking.
Matt
1984 Thunderbird - 89 302 HO, GT40 heads w/ Trick Flow springs, E303 cam, Edelbrock Performer 289 intake and 600 cfm 4bbl, Mustang headers, Jegs o/r H pipe, Dynomax lers, Mustang AOD and shifter, Mustang 8.8 w/ 3.73s, 3G alternator, Mustang front and rear sway bars, KYB SN-95 front struts and shocks, and 11" front brakes.

1988 Mustang GT - GT40 heads, Explorer intake, 70mm throttle body, 70mm MAF, Crane 1.7 rrs, E303 cam, Kirban Kwik shifter w/ Pro 5.0 deluxe handle, aluminum clutch quadrant and firewall adjuster, o/r h pipe, Dynomax lers, 3G alternator, aluminum radiator, and 3.27 gears.
 
1986 Cougar 5.0, 1989 Mark VII LSC 5 speed, 1980 Mercury Zephyr 4 door (sold)

Key retainer?

Reply #5 –
The iginition can be cut off without locking the steering, try it(in your driveway, it will lock if turned to the key removal position)...

I have mine tied up with a zip-tie inside the column, ain't in no mood to push a button...

Key retainer?

Reply #6 –
When I harvested the floor shifter from a pre-airbag Mark VII, I made sure I got that cable mechanism to install in place of the column shift shaft. Very simple install.

For cars with floor shifters they of course added the pushbutton. It is simply and upside down U shaped rod with the push button on one end while the other end engages the lock cylinder mechanism to keep it from locking the wheel. This can be added simply to any car if you are switching from an column mount to a floor mount shifter.

In a panic situation where you need to turn off the ignition, I feel comfortble with that safety feature being in place.

However with our automatic floor shifters, these were made before an interlock was required before you could shift the lever out of park.

Ok

Reply #7 –
I see what you guys are saying now.  I sure wish Ford would have come up with a different design, because that button sure is a pain in the butt. 
I think I'm gonna do what Tom did and zip tie the thing in the up position so I don't have to bother with it.
William

Key retainer?

Reply #8 –
Quote
I think I'm gonna do what Tom did and zip tie the thing in the up position so I don't have to bother with it.
As stated, just make  sure you don't end up like the "Runaway Lexus" driver if your throttle sticks open. You're smart enough to turn off the key, but *whoops*, you turned it too far, locked the steering wheel, and less than 2 seconds later crashed into a busload of Nuns and Orphans at 90MPH while frantically trying to turn the key to unlock it again.
Death awaits you all with nasty, big, pointy teeth.

1988 5.0 Bird, mostly stock, partly not, now gone to T-Bird heaven.
1990 Volvo 740GL. 114 tire-shredding horsies, baby!

Key retainer?

Reply #9 –
Quote from: Watchdevil;326943
When I harvested the floor shifter from a pre-airbag Mark VII, I made sure I got that cable mechanism to install in place of the column shift shaft. Very simple install.

For cars with manual shifters they of course added the pushbutton. It is simply and upside down U shaped rod with the push button on one end while the other end engages the lock cylinder mechanism to keep it from locking the wheel. This can be added simply to any car if you are switching from an automatic to a manual shifter.

In a panic situation where you need to turn off the ignition, I feel comfortble with that safety feature being in place.

However with our automatic floor shifters, these were made before an interlock was required before you could shift the lever out of park.


The 84 shop manual says the push button to allow turning the ignition to LOCK is on any floor shift car manual or automatic.

The column shift must be in PARK before you can turn the switch to lock.
These things may have been around as long as locking steering wheels. My 75 Pinto had one.

Key retainer?

Reply #10 –
I agree I dont like it but have learned to live with it. Now my brotherinlaw hates to drive my car because of the key lock but he is also missing one arm. Kinda hard for him to push the button while taking the key out at the same time.
87 TC
HO Swap, T5 Swap, Mach Springs, CHE Upper and Lower control arms, Mach Chin spoiler, soon to be Procharged.

:evilgrin: Nitrous is like a hot chick with an STD you want to hit it but are scared of the consequences. :evilgrin:

Key retainer?

Reply #11 –
If you arent reaching under the steering column on every car you drive, to take the key out.................YOU ARENT DRIVING YOUR FOX ENOUGH!

Ive done that so many times, its like a reflex.  You just get used to it. LOL
Mike

Key retainer?

Reply #12 –
I live on Grand Island....I never have to take keys out of anything around here.... Or lock doors...lol
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
***** Project "EVOLUTION" 1987 Cougar LS  & 1985 Cougar Convertible *****
[/COLOR]
5.0 HO 306 roller block, machined GT-40P heads, Wiseco dished forged pistons, Eagle forged floating I-beam connecting rods, Lunati pushrods, ARP bolts, Scorpion aluminum 1.6 rockers, Comp Cams Magnum 266HR, Explorer intake, 65mm TB, MAF Conversion, 19# injectors, Ford Racing stainless P-headers, 2-1/2" cat-less exhaust w/ Flowtech Afterburner lers , SC AOD with 2800 BDR torque converter, 3.73 T-Lok rear, CHE rear control arms, full 2-1/2" frame w/1" jacking rails & seat supports, Rear disk brakes, Turbine wheels, All original interior w/ floor shift upgrade .......
Pretty much every panel on my 87 is new, rebuilt, or re constructed. :D
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Key retainer?

Reply #13 –
I don't have to reach under the colum to pull my keys out on any car I have ever owned, and would bypass it.
Quote from: jcassity
I honestly dont think you could exceed the cost of a new car buy installing new *stock* parts everywhere in your coug our tbird. Its just plain impossible. You could revamp the entire drivetrain/engine/suspenstion and still come out ahead.
Hooligans! 
1988 Crown Vic wagon. 120K California car. Wifes grocery getter. (junked)
1987 Ford Thunderbird LX. 5.0. s.o., sn-95 t-5 and an f-150 clutch. Driven daily and going strong.
1986 cougar.
lilsammywasapunkrocker@yahoo.com

Key retainer?

Reply #14 –
Quote from: softtouch;327039
The 84 shop manual says the push button to allow turning the ignition to LOCK is on any floor shift car manual or automatic.

The column shift must be in PARK before you can turn the switch to lock.
These things may have been around as long as locking steering wheels. My 75 Pinto had one.


I just checked out my 1987 Tbird brochure and it shows a Tbird Sport with the automatic floor shifter and a clear view of the white lockout button sticking out from under the steering column. It's obvious this was used because the Fox Tbirds and Cougars use a mechanical floor shifter that extends through the hole in the tranny tunnel and no provision was made for a cable operated lockout feauture.

However all the pre-airbag Mark VII's which use the Fox steering column comes standard with a floor shifter and it uses a cable mechanism that installs in the slot above the ignition switch where a column shifter would normally go. This is also so for the 1989-93 Tbird and Cougar (which carried over the use of Fox steering columns) as I have examined many of them while harvesting parts.